MAY 30, 1957

HYDE PARK—Memorial Day is observed annually in Hyde Park by special ceremonies in the rose
garden where my husband is buried. But the day is one that belongs not to the memory
of my husband alone but to every man who laid down his life in war for his country.

It is traditional for every man in this country to feel an obligation to play his
part in time of war, either on the field of battle or in some capacity where he can
be of the most use to his country.

But the world is changing now, and I think we should realize that what we teach our
boys and girls must be different than what they learned in the past.

The men we remember on Memorial Day this year died in wars which for the most part
were fought by the military, although in the last two world conflicts more and more
civilians have paid with their lives for the folly of war.

But in the future there will be no such thing as a particular group of people dying
for their country. Destruction will be so widespread that whole populations will die.

Therefore, I think it behooves us to teach our children that patriotism today requires
a study of the world and its situations. We live in a democracy where the people can
control their government if they understand enough of what is going on to form opinions
on what they want done.

Statesmanship today requires us to prevent situations that lead to war instead of
waiting until a crisis occurs and then trying to meet it as best we can. Each of our
country's citizens should realize that it is necessary for him to learn how to get
along with people of different races and nationalities at home and to spread this
spirit to international relations. This responsibility no longer can be left in the
hands of a few. The business of keeping out of war is the business of every citizen
in a democracy.

This Memorial Day each of us should think about how we can bring about the best understanding
between people, how we can be better citizens ourselves. For today patriotism doesn't
mean a willingness to die on the field of battle. The soldier in any future war will
not die alone. Many others, once safe from war in their own homes, will be killed,
too.

Therefore, patriotism today calls for working through the United Nations for better
understanding and joining in all possible ways to make life so much worthwhile for
people in all parts of the world that they will want peace as much as we do. For if
life is not worthwhile, war is thought to be no worse and any change may be looked
upon as an improvement.

All Americans should, on this Memorial Day, think over the new situation of the world
in an atomic era and plan how best they can prepare themselves to meet its needs.

For patriotism no longer can be practiced by men alone on a battlefield. Patriotism
today calls for the active good citizenship of every man, woman and child in the U.S.